


Scraps: Masterplan

by Uskius



Category: Bleach
Genre: Fourth Division, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25034188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uskius/pseuds/Uskius
Summary: Mayrui Kurotsuchi has an idea- a crazy, impossible insane one- and on a trip to Ibiza in the world of the living, he puts it into motion. Long-hidden secrets come together, and Soul Society and the world are set on a course for revival... or total destruction.((A nice, clean set-up and stage to work from. The goalposts are pretty far from the start, though, and with all my other projects I have that I need to finish, I just decided to let this one go. It and The Four Holy Swords and Blades of the Kenpachi are in my The Sound of Truth[which is over at ff dot net] headcanon.))





	1. I Took A Pill In Ibiza

“I think that all along I’ve been an artist,” Mayuri Kurotsuchi said, lazily gesturing with his Long Island iced tea.

Tsuzuko Tsutsumishita stared at him nonplussed for a moment before slamming back her rum and Coke. “Look, um, Captain Kurot-”

“Mayuri!”

“...Look, Mayu, everyone who’s done psychedelics has had these moments. I can’t believe I’m saying this to you of all people, but I think it’s just a phase.”

“Yes, I suppose you are correct; science is a method and I failed to see it as just that for so long.”

“...Mind sharing what you’ve been on the last few weeks?” However, Mayuri ignored her as if she hadn’t spoken and continued staring out over the balcony.

From his seat in the lawn chair that was in the shade next to the wall, Aamu Kurohasu cleared his throat. “Speaking of which, our captains said something about testing the effects of recreational drugs on gigai. Are we actually going to be doing that any time?”

“Of course,” Mayuri scoffed, looking over his shoulder at Aamu. “I’m simply waiting for Subject Jimon to arrive.”

“Oh yeah, there were supposed to be three of us,” Aamu said absentmindedly. Mayuri sipped his drink, gazing wistfully at the setting sun. Several moments later, the glass door slid open.

“Forgive my tardiness, Captain Ku-”

“Mayuri!” He interrupted again. “Well, now that you’re here, I suppose I’ll put the barrier up.” With a wave of his hand, a transparent cube enclosed the balcony. Mayuri turned around to face the new arrival, as did Tsuzuko. “Finally: with the sound containment kido in place, we can truly begin.”

“Sound containment?” Tsuzuko asked warily.

“The testing of recreational drugs on gigai was just the pretext,” Mayuri admitted. Tsuzuko took a step back involuntarily. “I have finally discovered the science for a new form of art. Previously I only conceived crude imitations of it, but  _ now _ , I have the tools ready.” Mayuri paused, looking the other three on the balcony in the eyes. “Tell me: have you heard of the tragedy of the Tsunayashiro house?”

“Do you mean their heir Kazuchika’s death during the ancient Quincy extermination campaign?” Asked Hakuko Jimon, who was leaning back against the sliding glass door and growing more confused by the second. “I have also heard something more recent was going on, but no one knows exactly what.”

“No, no, I’m referring to something far more ancient: the desecration of the original artist and art: the Soul King. The greed of the Tsunayashiro ancestors is responsible for the very world that we live in now, and this act has consumed them with shame and fear in the ages since. The recent deeds you spoke of, Subject Jimon, were merely the latest attempts at restoration. Though he had exemplary materials, Tokinada lacked the science to cultivate success.”

“What does Tokinada have to do with art, or anything?” Tsuzuko asked. “He was a psychopath and a murderer.”

“Do you three know the reasons I selected you for this endeavor?” Mayuri asked.

“Well, Cap’n said something about how all of your soldiers were already immune to a vast array of chemical compounds,” Aamu guessed.

“You were chosen because of your potential,” Said Mayuri, completely ignoring Aamu. “The geniuses who graduated the academy early would have attracted far too much attention. You three showed stable growth, and confident mastery upon graduation and enlistment. But, more importantly, in the years since you have shown  _ loyalty. _ This will be a long-term artistic collaboration, and deceit will not be tolerated. I have learned from the mistakes of the ancient nobles, I have learned from Tokinada’s errors, and from the experimentation of that gutter rat Renji Fudo, and from Aizen’s folly. As there were an ancient five, we will be the new five.”

There was a short silence. “Sir, there are only four of us here,” Hakuko said, looking around.

“...This is where the art will begin. Subject Tsutsumishita, you’ve been quite busy at your station in the world of the living, correct?”

“Constant hollow cleansing. It’s a pain in the ass, to be honest.”

“You are to find them- the one who is attracting the mass of hollows,” Mayuri said. “Your station is of course out of my jurisdiction, by my private research has indicated the individual is in your area. Again, you are to find them… and you are to give them Soul Reaper powers.” The other three flinched back in shock.

“You for real right now?” Aamu asked, sitting up and standing.. “You know  _ exactly _ what happened the last time that someone did that. It’s against the law for a reason, Captain Kurotsuchi.”

“Of course,” Mayuri said nonchalantly. “That is the reason why a device of my own design and powered by myself will act as the catalyst. I can deal with prison- ‘been there, done that’ as the human saying goes. I will provide the catalyst, and you three will act as instructors and monitors.”

“But we’re all in different divisions,” Tsuzuko pointed out.

“Precisely,” Nodded Mayuri. “Subject Jimon will be the contact in the Stealth Force, providing additional information from its resources as needed. Subject Kurohasu will be the primary reference for kido art, and also our primary communications channel. Subject Tsutsumishita will be the scapegoat, and in close proximity to the next substitute soul reaper to act as a primary guardian.”

“Wait,” Tsuzuko said, holding up her hand. “I’m the scapegoat? What happened to you taking the fall?”

“It will be a simple script to follow. You will feign ignorance and shift the blame to me, I will exaggerate my public image to distract and draw attention, and then we kill Central 46.”

Aamu’s drink shot out through his nose, and he hacked and coughed. “We’re gonna what?!”

“That was a joke. After the success and accomplishments of Kurosaki, I’m confident that you will be able to get away with the deed, and perhaps I will as well.”

“...You talked about selecting us because of our loyalty,” Hakuko said quietly, folding her arms. “This only sounds like treason and undermining everything Soul Society stands for.”

“Unmitigated chaos serves no purpose. Art relies on structure and emotion, in whatever forms those take; true art is always immediate and thriving. Betrayal? Soul Society has grown complacent clinging to its ancient lie! The five nobles bound the Soul King and mutilated him, weakening him enough to keep him enslaved as a figurehead. The cycle of life and death has grown stagnant; the oscillation between existence and oblivion prevents growth and art. I, we… will be the agents of a new world. Our art will not destroy Soul Society. It will be the engine that drives all worlds forwards.”

“How?” Tsuzuko asked bluntly. Mayuri sighed and facepalmed.

“Tried to speak in layman’s terms and this is what happens…” Mayuri muttered under his breath. “Look. You three learned- probably back in your academy days- about how the Soul King regulates the flow of souls from the world of the living to soul society, right?” They nodded, and Mayuri continued. “Back in the primordial times, the Soul King was whole, and also governed the creation and expansion and erosion of existence. None of those things are currently being done. Expansion is being left unchecked, and entropy is eroding what remains. For the cosmos to survive there must be something to renew and stimulate it. I have found the science to do so, but it requires things outside the schematics of the duality of the current model. That is where the work of art will come in. It will bring balance, stability, and growth by the creation of a new world that stimulates and interacts with the current model as a separate entity. It will maintain the established metrics for flow stability and growth and be self-sustaining, able to operate with minimal supervision.”

“And I bet that would be you, huh?” Guessed Tsuzuko.

“Of course not. I’m an artist, not a micro-manager.”

“But aren’t you also a cap-”

“Again, this will be a long-term collaboration,” Mayuri said over Aamu, looking at Tsuzuko. “While I construct the world, you three will be watching over and instructing its administrator, the fifth of us.”

There was a long pause. Hakuko held her chin, looking at the balcony floor. “If this will not upset the order of Soul Society I may be willing to participate. However, if you require our loyalty, I want to be able to trust you, as well.” Aamu and Tsuzuko nodded in agreement, looking to Mayuri.

“I’m not in the habit of doing this, but I’ve anticipated that response and as such have tokens of good faith to give you.” Mayuri opened and reached into his robe, and pulled out three blank white swords with no guard or other hardware. “I’m no smith, but I have a thorough understanding of the science of soul cutters. Soul reaper blades are of mortal make and material, inferior art. These blades are blank souls crafted from divine cells. Bonding them to your current swords will prepare you for the work ahead, both in strength and technique.”

Hakuko nodded. “I will accept one, then.” She reached over and took one.

Tsuzuko bit her lip, still skeptical. “Know what? Screw it. I’m in, too,” She said. “I think I’ve been confusing liking you with trusting you. If you’re really capable of doing what you say you can, I don’t want to be left out in the dark after all the crazy stuff you’ve said.” Tsuzuko snatched one of the blades from Mayuri.

“I don’t wanna lean too heavily on this artist thing, but… that’s how I’ve always seen kido: art. I guess now I have to know more, too.” Sighing, Aamu took the last blank.

“Excellent. The bonding is to be done before the departure back to Soul Society. Now, how do you all feel about bath salts?” Asked Mayuri.

“They’re great, I use ‘em all the time in my baths after a rough day on the job,” Tsuzuko answered.


	2. Blue-Eyed Soul

“Last one of the bunch,” Tsuzuko said to herself, cutting down the frog-like hollow. She flipped one of her pigtails back over her shoulder, and hopped on top of the telephone pole to take a look around. There were a couple flying hollows far off in the distance circling a building. The usual swarm had yet to gather, so she decided to investigate them to pass the time. A few swift flash steps got her over there. 

“Can you see me?” Tsuzuko asked, waving her hand in front of a young woman as she walked by. No response. She walked past her towards the market, which was right under the circling hollows. They spotted her, and gave shrill and piercing cries of alarm.

“Gah!” The young man covered his ears, drawing a few weird looks from the other shoppers. He glanced around nervously. “Uh, guess it must’ve been some car alarm I heard,” He said with a chuckle. He weighed the oranges on the scale before putting them into his bag, and went to check out. 

Tsuzuko intercepted the hollow in mid-air before the boy left the market. “Come on, woman! What business do you got messing with my meal?”

“The same business I do with every hollow in this area.” Cut, and the hollow vaporized. The other winged hollow saw the fate of its hunting partner and soared higher up. Tsuzuko began the old familiar kido, developed to detect Pluses and save her a little bit of running around, and silently cast it. “North north-west, South… so that means the kid is definitely human. Huh.” 

As luck would have it, the boy himself was headed North north-west. He held the back of his hand to his forehead. “Yeah, still have a bit of a fever. But at least I’ll get in some more gaming time after my homework,” He said to himself. He took a couple shortcuts down narrow alleys, turning a corner as he came out of one.

“Hello, mister.”

“Ah! Oh, hello young miss. Waiting for your big sister?”

“No, I’m waiting for my momma. She left me here.”

“How long ago was that?” Asked the boy.

“Um… this many,” Answered the girl, holding up four small fingers.

_ “Four minutes? Four hours? What is it with people leaving their kids all over the place,” _ Thought the boy. He then noticed the chain dangling from the young girl’s chest, and backed up a few steps.  _ “Aw, heck. Not this again.” _ “Um, look, I’ve got somewhere else I really need to be, so…”

“Wait!” The girl pleaded, eyes growing tearful. “Could you stay with me until my mommy gets back?”

The boy looked around to see if anybody was watching. “...For just a few minutes, okay? I really can’t be hanging around for too long.”

The shadow of the other flying hollow passed over Tsuzuko and she sighed, flashing up to meet it. “You have to notice how delicious they smell,” It said to her, flapping its bat-like wings.

“A human and a Plus. You have no business with them.” 

“When did food become business? I was just-” Slash, and the hollow misted away. Tsuzuko sheathed her blade and folded her arms, watching the two from the air. The boy talked with the young Plus for a few minutes before he checked the time on his phone and left. The Plus began to wail, and the boy started to run away.

Quickly scanning the area for hollows, Tsuzuko went down to meet the young girl, who had round rosy cheeks and curly hair. “Shh, it’ll be okay,” Tsuzuko cooed.

“But I miss my mommy,” The girl cried. 

“It’s been four years,” Tsuzuko said softly. “No one found you in time after your momma went away.”

“Do you know where she is?”

“Mm-hmm. I can send you there, but you’ll have to leave your spot here. Is that okay?” The little girl nodded, and Tsuzuko tapped the hilt of her soul cutter to the girl’s forehead. She began to glow and sink into the pool of blue light, and soon, she was gone and a hell butterfly was fluttering away. The Soul Burial done, Tsuzuko quickly flashed up to get an overview of the area. Several blocks away she spotted the boy, who was resting against a wall for a moment, tired. She continued to follow him when he started walking again.

“More and more often lately,” The boy said to himself, barely a whisper. He opened a gate and closed it behind him, walking up the steps to the house. “Mom! I had a fever and got out of school early!” He called into the house as he opened the front door.

Tsuzuko watched the door for a moment. “...It could be someone else, but those were the two classic signs. Guess I’ll keep a close eye on him for a few days and see what happens.” She dashed off to take care of the other Plus she’d recently sensed, and resumed the rush of hollow cleansing. “Wait!” Tsuzuko paused, the hollow she was fighting landing a claw swipe to her shoulder. “I’ve been by that home before…” The hollow was defeated with a backhanded slash as Tsuzuko looked in the direction of the house. “So he’s the one who lives there? No wonder he ran away from that Plus.”

“Hey! Weren’t you fighting us?” A bipedal boar-like hollow with a horned mask asked.

“Hmm? Oh-” With a single wide slice, Tsuzuko cut through the masks of the three remaining hollows before turning back towards the house. “So if he’s a school-boy, and one of the main high-traffic areas is the large high school… he’s the one.” Tsuzuko frowned and sheathed her sword. “It’s all his fault, then. I thought I’d just been duped and stuck with a terrible outpost, but he’s the one attracting all the hollows! I’ll almost be glad to break the law and turn him so he can start dealing with this mess himself,” She huffed. “Tonight. I’m not putting up with this for another day.”

Tsuzuko scouted out around the outside of the two-story house. There were four bedrooms with outside windows, two on each floor; looking into them, she could see that one was almost certainly a young girl’s room, one had a bunk bed, and one had the sheets rumpled into a lump in the middle of the bed.  _ “Didn’t he say he had homework?” _ Thought Tsuzuko.  _ “And this doesn’t really look like a teen boy’s room anyways. All these posters of maps and buildings are covering everything. Hmm. Nice mug he’s got for a pencil holder on his desk.” _ Against her better judgement, Tsuzuko decided to go in and take a closer look around.

“I set my alarm, mom. Let me sleep.” Tsuzuko froze in her tracks before deciding against sliding the window shut. She took note of his computer desk and closet, and how every available surface had organized stacks of notebooks and papers on them.

“Studying to become an architect?” Tsuzuko whispered to herself as she picked up a drawing of a mountain fortress from his bookshelf.  _ “Well, whatever all these sketches are, he’s definitely obsessed with them. Kinda reminds me of the sixth seat’s office,” _ She thought.  _ “I think I’ve seen all I need to for now. I’ll come back later tonight and-” _

“You? How did you know where I live?”

“Uh, I’ve just been in the area a lot,” Tsuzuko said. “And you can see me, right?”

“Yeah.” Tsuzuko’s shoulders sagged down in defeat, and she turned away from the window. “I see you every now and then talking to ghosts. I’d thought you were just one of those weirdos that did Naruto cosplay in public, but apparently, you’re also a stalker.”

“I am not a weirdo!” Tsuzuko replied much louder than she’d meant to, pointing a finger at the boy. “Look. You’ve unintentionally made my job pretty hard. Normally I’d let that slide, but today, I won’t. I’ve figured out how to make the problem easier to deal with, and I’m going to do it.”

“Made your job hard? Who are you?” Asked the boy, sitting up in bed and tossing his covers aside.

“My name is Tsuzuko Tsutsumishita, nineteenth seat of the Fifth Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and supervisor of this dist-”

“Definitely a weirdo.”

“A- and supervisor of this district,” Tsuzuko finished, the corner of her eye twitching. “I’m not a human, kid. The reason you see me talking to ghosts is because I’m a soul reaper. You remember that little girl from earlier today? She’d been dumped in that alleyway as a baby and died, probably starving to death. She’d been stuck there ever since, waiting for her deadbeat mom to come back and take her home. I sent her on her way to Soul Society after you left her.”

The boy sighed, and held his head in his hands. “So, if you’re not human and are some kind of ghost… my mom and younger sister can see ghosts, too.”

“So it runs in the family, huh?” Tsuzuko asked, folding her arms. “Who are you, kid?”

“Hachi Okajima,” The boy answered. “My dad is a potter and my mom used to be an idol singer, I’m nothing special at all.” Hachi looked over at Tsuzuko. “Let’s suppose you actually are a soul whateverer. Why have you been stalking me and how do I make your job hard?”

“I’m not a s-” Tsuzuko paused, biting down on the reply. “It seems like I’ve been stalking you because you attract hollows like a supermagnet. They’re drawn towards spiritually aware humans and Pluses, especially ones with a lot of energy- like you. It’s my job to deal with the hollows, and because of the unrest they cause and damage they do, more souls become troubled and tied down to the world of the living instead of passing on, which in turn attracts more hollows, and that vicious cycle feeds in on itself in more complicated ways, too.”

“Well, if all that’s true and everything, just leave me alone and get back to work.”

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve decided that today is the day this hassle ends. I have the solution. I’d been going to do it later tonight, but I just decided to go for it now.”

“I’ve tried charms before,” Hachi said exasperatedly. “They don’t do anything.”

“Charms? Something I learned early on is to never trust a blade’s work to a charm.” Hachi instantly sat up straight. Tsuzuko reached into her uniform sash, and pulled out the dagger that Mayuri had given her.

“Whoa, whoa whoa whoa! Put that back! Put that back!”

“Absolutely not. I’m convinced of it now: I need to stab you.” Tsuzuko quickly pinned Hachi down and covered his mouth, holding the dagger over his chest until it flashed a glowing green color, then plunged it in to the guard. Hachi’s spirit flew out of his body, and he scrambled away from her.

“Are you insane?! What was- wait… I’m… not dead?” Hachi looked down at himself, and saw he was in a soul reaper’s uniform, carrying a katana on his hip. “And how do I have this sword?

“Apparently not,” Said Tsuzuko, feigning disappointment and stowing away the dagger. “Look, I was trying to kill you just now, but if you’re going to be out of your body, there are some things we need to talk about-”

“Hachi, I thought you were sleeping!” Tsuzuko grabbed Hachi’s hand and bolted through the window before his mother could walk in on them, and went up to land on the roof.

“This can’t be happening,” Hachi muttered.

“Well, it is, kid.” Tsuzuko cleared her throat. “Also, um, since you’re not dead, what I did to you is just a tiny little bit illegal where I come from, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell any other soul reapers about it.” Tsuzuko let out a long sigh. “Listen, Hachi: I won’t always be around to bail you out of trouble with hollows. You’re gonna need to learn how to deal with them yourself if you want me to stop ‘stalking’ you.”

“How? I mean, I can do a little freerunning and parkour, but I’m not an expert at them and running away probably wouldn’t do much.”

“I can teach you a little bit. Not much, because again, illegal, but  _ something _ . Maybe some basic Step Method and swordsmanship.” Hachi turned to get a good look at Tsuzuko. She had long dark hair in two pigtails, and had a beauty mark on her cheek under her right eye; she had a sharp jawline and a slightly upturned nose between two warm brown eyes- kinda cute, Hachi thought, though now having met her he would prefer to never admit it.

“...What’s ‘Step Method’?” He asked, looking back out at the city.

“The basics of high-speed movement. It’s about efficiency, and if you’re fast you’ll be even faster.”

“Alright. I’ll learn that. I tried kendo when I was younger and I was absolutely horrible at it.”

“No, I’ll teach you swordsmanship, too. I was only a decent bit above average when I got tricked into taking this position, so you can be sure that what I teach you will work for fighting hollows,” Said Tsuzuko.

“This just blows,” Hachi complained, lying down against the roof with his head on his hands. “First I used to just see ghosts, but now I have to fight them, too?”

“It may suck, but it’s better than the alternative, which is being able to do nothing about it. If I messed up taking you out I might as well teach you how to fend for yourself while I’m already doing illegal things.”

“So you’re admitting you just tried to kill me.”

“I know you’re a little sick right now, but I’ll be back later tonight for your first lesson,” Tsuzuko said. “For now I’ll just take you-” It was at that moment there was a loud roar of a hollow nearby. Before the echo faded Tsuzuko was up on her feet and had her soul cutter drawn.

“What was- oh… oh no…”

“You do nothing but run if it gets close,” Tsuzuko directed. The hollow was large, taller than the house: it was crab-like, but only had pincers for its front two legs- the others ended in hands; it’s mask was like an orangutan’s face, and it had stringy, sickly neon yellow hair hanging down behind it.

“I knew something was amiss when my two scouts didn’t report back as planned,” It spoke in a chittering and slithering voice. “They speak of this place as a death trap, but those were hollows of weak ambitions and power.”

Tsuzuko clenched her jaw and exhaled. “This is your first rule, Hachi: ignore everything a hollow says.” She raced in towards its left pincer, aiming to cut off the limb, but the hollow was ready and deflected the attack. Tsuzuko sprung off the pincer and sliced the leg behind it, kicking off the air to get between the hollow and Hachi, but the hollow anticipated this move as well, and caught her with its right pincer and slammed her into the ground in Hachi’s front yard, making a small crater.

“Crabs, soul reaper: did you forget what kind of attack I would have prepared?”

Tsuzuko found it hard to breathe, but still forced out the words through her teeth. “Way of Destruction Number Eleven: Bound Lightning.” The spell’s current of golden lightning sparked and crackled up the hollow’s arm, causing it to drop Tsuzuko. She twisted in the air to land on her feet, and immediately used a wide slash to heavily wound its right pincer and front leg. She jumped in to cleave its mask in two, and sliced the left pincer down to the elbow as it came forwards to intercept her. The hollow shrieked in frustration and leaped skywards, hanging in the air and preparing to fire a cero. “Hachi, stand directly behind me and don’t move!”

“You can beat that thing, right?” He asked as he got in place.

“...Maybe, but this one’s definitely way stronger and smarter than any hollow I’ve seen in months.” The cero was blasted forth like a wave from the ocean’s depths. “Break your chains, Frost Balm!” Tsuzuko’s soul cutter burst into fire and flashed back along her arm, becoming a lion-headed gauntlet and bracer with a fiery mane. She reared back her arm and then snapped into her hardest punch. Her fist met the beam head on, Frost Balm blazing up as the cero crashed against it like a waterfall. Tsuzuko grit her teeth against the strain, her arm trembling, but she threw everything she had into one last technique. “Roar!” Frost Balm burned white-hot for an instant, the rapid change in heat making a thunderclap that dissipated the cero.

The echoing, creeping feeling of impending doom like a wave of spiders caught Tsuzuko’s attention, and she spared a quick glance back to check the number of hollows coming in through the gate. Despite her only turning away for a split second, the crab hollow had vanished when she looked back. Her arm ached as Frost Balm deadened its pain and sped up the wound healing. Hachi looked up, and saw the swarm of hollows approaching. “Um, Miss Tsuzuko? You might want to look behind you.”

“Pincer attack,” Tsuzuko growled, turning around to face it. “Swordsmanship lesson one: swing with your wrists and forearms, hold the handle with your thumbs and pointer fingers. Stand behind me, and don’t swing unless the hollow comes in range.”

“We’re letting them come to us?!”

“I can’t take you with me!” Tsuzuko shouted over her shoulder. “This is what we have to do right now.”

“How do I draw something this long…” Hachi muttered, holding the sheath upside down and jiggling it for a second before carefully grabbing the blade and pulling the rest of the length out.  _ “She knows what she’s doing,” _ Hachi thought over and over, getting into the ready stance he remembered from his old kendo classes.  _ “Doesn’t mom get headaches when she feels like yokai are watching? Oh, this is going to be horrible for her! Just stay calm. What did she say? Right, thumbs and pointer fingers.” _

From behind him, it sounded like Tsuzuko was hard at work, and he occasionally saw a hollow fade out after being struck on the edges of his vision, then before he knew what was happening a hollow dropped onto the roof right in front of him. It whipped its long tongue around, and shutting his eyes, Hachi swung forwards at it. Cracking his eyes open, he saw it fading away just as another scrambled onto the roof. Trying not to shake, he gulped and swung, splitting its mask in half.  _ “Okay, still terrifying but not as horrible as I thought. It’s just whack-a-mole, Hachi. Really, really weird whack-a-mole,” _ He thought. He continued to stay on guard, trying not to be thrown off by the thunderclaps and explosions at his back.

The battle went on and on, Hachi losing track of time. He found himself strangely to not be feverish and tired, but alert. His wrists and forearms felt fine, and weren’t sore as they might be after an afternoon of rock climbing; he was ready and looking for the next hollow when Tsuzuko told him, “Stay here!”

“What?” Tsuzuko flickered away, and Hachi felt exposed and vulnerable without her at his back. His anxiety returned as he nervously turned this way and that to look for hollows.

“They’re on the run,” Tsuzuko said as she touched down, startling Hachi. 

“Oh thank goodness, I wa-” Tsuzuko sucker punched him

“What was that for?!” Hachi wheezed.

“Rule number two: never let your guard down.” Hachi grumbled as Tsuzuko slung him over her shoulder and went back in through his bedroom window. The door was open, and his body had been covered back up with his sheets- Tsuzuko tossed Hachi’s spirit back into his body, closed the door, and then sat down in his computer chair, holding her head in her hands.

“What’s wrong? I thought we won?”

“After I took out that last hollow it finally hit me that the big one fired a cero,” Tsuzuko said glumly.

“A cero? Was that the energy beam thing?”

Tsuzuko nodded. “Regular hollow can’t do that, Hachi- only the strongest class of hollows can, and this was one of the strongest ones of that class. It… well, it really freakin’ hurt. Even with what Frost Balm does and how much stronger I’ve gotten recently, I had to really fight through it. A few months ago I don’t think I would’ve been able to walk away from it.” Tsuzuko looked over at Hachi, and leaned back in his chair. “Protocol for my squad is that only the captain and lieutenant handle that class of hollow, which means I’m going to have to tell them about it. And since you can’t get  _ anything _ past my captain, that probably also means that he’s going to find out what I did to you, and it’s going to look like I wussed out and botched everything. My career is basically over.”

“I’m still alive, so I wouldn’t exactly say you botched  _ everything _ ,” Hachi offered.

“You  _ and _ that adjucha are still alive, which means it’s definitely going to be coming back for you.” Tsuzuko sighed, and looked at Hachi for a moment: the boy had short black hair and a baby face with high cheekbones, and curiously also had dusty blue eyes. Kinda cute, she thought, though now having met him she would prefer to never admit that. “Listen: that hollow’s been after you for years, and now that it knows where you are, it’s not going to stop until it devours you.”

“Well, I’m sure your captain or lieutenant could take care of it,” Said Hachi, trying to be helpful. Tsuzuko only gave him a blank stare. “Oh. Sorry.”

Tsuzuko looked at the drawing and diagrams Hachi had on his walls for a few moments. “...In a way, you are right: you were able to handle a few hollows- albeit weaker ones- on your own, so this wasn’t a complete bust. I guess the only loose end would be you taking your soul reaper form on your own.”

“So that’s what I was? Something like you? I… it felt weird, but in a good way. It’s kinda hard to describe.”

“I wouldn’t get too attached- or would that be detached?- to the feeling, kid. If I’m not around to knock you out of your body you’ll still be just a normal human. By the way, where’s your mom’s room? I need to erase her memory before I head back.”

“Erase her what-”

“Calm down! I only need to erase her memory of the hollow attack, not wipe her mind clean. She’ll be perfectly fine.”

Hachi frowned.  _ “It’s hard for me to keep things from mom, too,” _ He thought.  _ “Looks like no matter what we’re both going to get found out and be in trouble.” _ “...First floor, last door down the hall across from the stairs. And, I’m sorry. I hope things turn out alright with your job.”

“I do too,” Tsuzuko said quietly before standing. “Rest up and get well soon, kid. Whether I’m around or not your life will never be the same.”


	3. We Met Inside A Dream

Aamu had been waiting all day. The sun had set on the Ninth Division’s outer training ground, and in the hours since it had become increasingly difficult to sit still. “Ten thirty,” Aamu noted, checking his watch. “Go time. Scatter the sands, Lotus Dream!” Aamu’s soul cutter shifted around in a mist, the blade becoming a silky braided whip while a curved dagger sprouted from the pommel. Aamu wrapped Lotus Dream around his waist like a belt and tucked its dagger into itself, then threw on a mask and dark hooded cloak before he raced away.  _ “Can’t forget to pick up T Three on the way to the spot outside Second Division,” _ He thought, skimming over the rooftops with flash steps.

There was the usual crowd of fliers Aamu had to maneuver around, soul reapers who soared giggling through the sky- these were where he took the most care, zigzagging through their blind spots to remain unseen. There were several hollows smashing through barracks he had to avoid as well, things far more monstrous than any that had been seen before; if this were a casual stroll, he perhaps might have defeated one of them just for fun. It was hard not to stop and stare at the unearthly beauty of some of the landscapes that overlaid the Court of Pure Souls. Seeing the fiery lion with a mane of roaring fire off in the distance, Aamu knew he had at last made it to the right barracks.

“Hey mister, wanna see my bankai?” Tsuzuko asked, winking and giving the peace sign.

“I’m here to take you away, T Three. It’s time to meet with Hakuko.”

“Hakuko? But she just left with the purple dragon,” Tsuzuko said, confused. “Wait. You look familiar.” Her gaze narrowed on Aamu, and her expression became more clear. “Right. Dressed all in black. A- are you sure I won’t be sleepwalking?”

“That’s not something I have control over,” Answered Aamu. “Just take my hand and we can make it to her place soon.” Aamu offered his hand, which Tsuzuko took with a nod as he whisked her away. “So how did things go today?” He asked several moments later.

“...There’s a lot to talk about. I’ll wait until we meet up with Haku to share all the details, but… it’s started. The kid was there in my prefecture just like Mayuri said he would be.”

“Doesn’t surprise me he knew they’d be there. Guy’s got eyes and ears everywhere. I’m way more worried about the other crazy stuff he claimed.” Tsuzuko was as well, and knew that it was looking more and more like the madman could actually be right.

“Heck. I just realized I’m still wearing my Seaweed Ambassador pyjamas,”

“Not even in the top thousand of the most embarrassing things I’ve seen with Lotus Dream,” Aamu said honestly. “Don’t sweat it.”

“And what would be in the top thousand, anyways?”

“I’ll just say I had the memory of my first few weeks with Lotus Dream’s shikai erased and leave it at that. There’s a lot that I’ve learned to subconsciously ignore as I’m going by. But every now and then, I see something beautiful that makes up for the insanity.” Tsuzuko wondered what these things were, as for the most part she could only see vague blurry shapes silhouetted against the dark Court of Pure Souls skyline.

Quite appropriately, the long run to the meeting spot passed like a dream. Tsuzuko’s mood lifted along the way as she became used to the floating and skipping and flying motions. “Is that her down there?”

“Shoot, thought someone was having a nightmare about that Ring movie again. Yeah, no one else is here at the spot.” Aamu and Tsuzuko touched down at the edge of Second Division’s training grounds, and walked over to Hakuko. She was wearing a simple and conservative nightgown, her thigh-length black hair held back in a simple loose braid. “Hakuko, I’m here with T Three,” Aamu said softly.

“T Three? I remember meeting her somewhere…”

“I’m right here.”

“Oh, it’s starting to come back to me… Miss Tsutsumishita and the man in black… yes, Mister Kurohasu. I think I’m ready now.” Hakuko blinked, eyes adjusting to the darkness between the trees.

“You said you had a lot to get to?” Aamu said to Tsuzuko.

“I found Captain Kurotsuchi’s guy. He’s an older schoolboy, and was definitely the source of all the hollows swarming around. Aside from his spiritual pressure I wouldn’t say he’s problematic or anything. Big architecture nerd, probably a loser but overall nice guy, it seems.”

“And it worked, right?” 

“Yes,” Tsuzuko said to Aamu. “Green light on the dagger and everything. But… things went sideways.”

“How?” Hahkuko asked. “I was under the impression that this would be nearly automatic.”

“Well, I picked the wrong day to give him soul reaper powers, it turns out. The boss hollow in command of the swarm showed up, and it’s an adjucha: so I’m going to be in the spotlight a little sooner than expected, and I’ll also have Captain Hirako breathing down my neck until the dust settles.”

“Ah! You know, I think that this is a fortunate turn of events,” Hakuko said. “With an adjucha and your captain involved, it will help to sell the urgency and desperation of the matter.”

“I’m not exactly keen on looking desperate,” Tsuzuko replied. “But I guess you have a p-”

“Adjucha?” Aamu interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh. I mean, y’know, nothing too crazy. I think it may have recently evolved, because it was still pretty huge. ‘Sides, I’m tough.”

“All three of us have made advances with our soul cutters recently,” Added Hakuko. “So, I think that should be a secondary purpose of these meetings: keep trying to figure out what exactly the blanks did.”

“I think he said something about technique,” Said Aamu. “But the bonding was so simple.”

There was a short silence before Tsuzuko spoke up. “Speaking of techniques, training the kid. Even though things have gone according to plan so far, there’s still the possibility of me having my powers sealed, or worse. What do we do then?”

“I think that will fall to me,” Hakuko answered. “I work in both the Stealth Force and Second Division, and my division in the Stealth Force has… a certain amount of leeway in regards to travel to the world of the living.” She swallowed, being nervous about breaking the division’s strict oaths of secrecy, even while dreaming.

“Excellent. I think you and I should- ugh, never thought I’d become a teacher- work out some kind of curriculum then, and Aamu, too,” Tsuzuko said. “As far as getting to Captain Kurotsuchi’s endgame goes I think we’re all out of our depth here, but I don’t want to be pulling along dead weight. The kid needs to at least be able to keep up.”

“Alright. You two get your course set, and we can work that out next meeting.”

“Gotcha. Oh, Hakuko, since I may not be around- for my trial, maybe longer- I guess you’ll be the one to look after the kid in that case. His name is Hachi. He’s over in Aoharuyama Town, and goes to the big high school there.” Tsuzuko took a deep breath. “Speaking of trial, I’m going to make the report in the morning. I want to know ahead of time where our next spot will be.”

“Twelfth Division’s grounds,” Aamu replied. “I think with things getting started we should get Captain Kurotsuchi’s input. Sound good?” Tsuzuko and Hakuko nodded in agreement. 

Hakuko looked over at Tsuzuko, noticing her Seaweed Ambassador pyjamas for the first time. “...About that adjucha, Miss Tsutsumishita: what should I expect if I encounter it?”

“Oh, right. Well, it’s primary target is Hachi. I think it will be willing to ignore other humans or Pluses in the area if he’s around, and take some smaller setbacks to get to him later. It’s strong, of course, but it’s desperate. The thing is crab-like and fairly intelligent, but if it’s really in danger it’ll run, I think.”

Hakuko absentmindedly stroked her braid for a moment. “It just came to mind a moment ago, but… we still have not properly introduced ourselves to each other.”

“You guys seem reasonably cool, so I guess that wouldn’t hurt,” Aamu said into the awkward silence. “I’m Aamu, as you know, and I’m over in Ninth Division. I got promoted out of Seventh a couple decades back and things have been mostly pretty okay since.”

“My name is Tsuzuko Tsutsumishita, but you can call me T Three. I have a hard time keeping up with work, but I still know how to relax and have fun in my time off. Just say hi, and let’s see what happens from there.”

“Hi,” Aamu said to Tsuzuko with a grin. 

_ “Wait. I just read off my Soul Connection profile bio word for word!” _ Tsuzuko thought. She gulped, but it didn’t seem as if the others recognized it. 

“I’m Hakuko Jimon, seated officer in both the Second Division and the Stealth Force. My work is… confidential, but I take great pride in the trust placed in me. I hope we will be able to work well with each other, and perhaps even create art as Captain Kurotsuchi said,” Hakuko finished with a quick bow.

  
  


There was another short silence, and Aamu nodded. “Alright. I’m going to count back from three and snap my fingers, and you’ll wake up remembering everything. Three, two, one-” Snap. Tsuzuko and Hakuko vanished, leaving Aamu alone in the dark woods.


	4. Beyond the Red Mirror

Hakuko sat quietly facing the mirror. She had just received the news of Tsuzuko’s arrest, and was pondering how it would look for her to be active on the division’s ground right now. 

The Old Gates were remnants of the primordial world that existed before the world of the living and Soul Society were separated, secluded pockets of space lost shinigami had stumbled into and later co-opted for their own personal use; they were used for travel, training, and meeting, and all motion through them was stringently monitored- after all, their maintenance and use was the mission and most closely guarded secret of the Stealth Force’s Fourth Division.

In general the Old Gates had a fixed destination and entry point- you left in one place, and you knew exactly where and when you’d end up. The Red Mirror allowed travel through any of the Old Gates, and was generally reserved for when the others were in use, or for urgent business. Hakuko was one of the few officers of the Fourth Division entrusted with a Skeleton Key, which allowed access to any of the destination or departure points of the Old Gates, though any of the gate keys worked with the Red Mirror. She knew that the instant she used the key, her passage through the Red Mirror would be tracked, and her superiors would know where she slipped off to.

Unless, as it may have happened, that she had discovered an Old Gate that had not yet been found and catalogued. Such a passage wouldn’t be subject to such intense scrutiny, but would still appear suspicious: in the Fourth Division, there  _ were _ no gate errors. “He couldn’t have known…” Hakuko whispered to herself.

_ Hakuko ran through the Garganta, panicked and breathless. “I’m not going to make it!” She had gotten lost, there was no getting around it. The simple scouting mission had gone on for far too long and left her with little power to spare. The spirit particle path beneath her feet was growing faint and scattered. “I know the coordinates for the quadrant were correct. I double and triple-checked them…” _

_ At long last, there glimmered something in the distance. It was hazy but grew more distinct, even as Hakuko’s path before her shortened and faded. Hoping beyond hope it was Soul Society she leaned forwards and plunged into it. _

_ She found nothing. There had been a sensation on her skin like coming up from underwater, and in front of her, the darkness was tangible- she could feel it tingling on her skin. Her path disappeared but she remained in place, not standing on solid ground, but planted. Hakuko collapsed exhausted, trying to catch her breath. Almost too gradually to notice her surroundings brightened as she recovered. Then, with growing horror and astonishment, Hakuko realized where she was: in a previously unknown Old Gate.  _

_ Everyone in the division knew the stories, none of which had happy endings. Those who got stranded in the Garganta seldom returned, and those who did came back deranged, or silent and stubbornly depressed. The only advice her superiors gave was to not panic- that would turn an already bad situation even worse. So, Hakuko relaxed. She went through the old breathing patterns she learned in the academy, thinking of her bunk in the barracks and academy dorm room, and her division’s training grounds. _

_ When Hakuko opened her eyes, she had to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Her surroundings were blurry and indistinct but familiar- she was sure she knew this place. The ground was misty, and large dark shapes floated through the air. It was beginning to bother her how familiar it was. Then slowly, and all at once, the world sharpened into focus as she realized what it reminded her of: her inner world, where she met her soul cutter. The springy ground of fluffy white clouds, islands with trees and grass lazily wandering around the sky, and birdsong coming from some unseen but close by flock. A quick look down confirmed that Silent Drumbeat, Whispering Flute was still sheathed. Hakuko bounced up high to one of the islands, sitting back against its lone tree and sighing. _

Hakuko stood as she surfaced from the old memory. She had kept the secret her entire tenure, becoming almost obsessed with strengthening the borders of the lost Old Gate and connecting it to the world of the living and Soul Society. The place had stayed hidden and secure. “...I suppose this would be the least illegal thing I have done,” Hakuko said to herself. She approached the Red Mirror, with its mists swirling against the far side and ornate frame, and took out the Skeleton Key. She inserted it into the glass and spoke the password, and stepped through.

Hachi turned onto his side. He’d been unable to rest easy since Tsuzuko’s visit, thinking of the massive hollow that was bent on eating him alive, always wondering if it was nearby watching. He turned onto his back, putting his hands under his head and looking up at the ceiling. “What do I tell mom…?” The worries of coming clean to his mother almost made him miss the gentle whisper of his window sliding open. “Who’s there?” He asked sleepily.

“Hakuko Jimon.”

Hachi’s blood froze. He very slowly turned his head, and saw a tall woman with incredibly long hair in a princess cut dressed in the same soul reaper outfit that Tsuzuko had been wearing step through his window. She appeared calm, but that did little to calm Hachi. “You’re not some stalker, are you?”

“Yes, actually-”

“Ah!”

“I would appreciate your quiet, young sir. You see, I spend a lot of time stalking hollows and soul reapers and others who are lost.”

“Soul reaper? So you’re like Tsuzuko?” Asked Hachi, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.

“Oh! Yes, just like Miss Tsutsumishita. So that would make you Hachi?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” Hachi grumbled. “I guess you two know each other.”

“We have recently become acquainted,” Hakuko replied. “But… Miss Tsutsumishita is busy, and unable to be here. She asked me to watch over you in her place while she is away.”

“Busy? Did that big creeper come back?”

“...Creeper?”

“Oh, right, um what was- ah- hollow. A huge one attacked my house the other day when I was sick.”

“So you were referring to that adjucha,” Said Hakuko, who’d been confused for a moment. “No, she is dealing with personal business back in Soul Society. The hollow is not present.”

Hachi let out a long breath. “What’s up, then? Are you just gonna hang out, or do you have soul reaper stuff to do in town?”

“I was thinking of taking you to Jimon Park to train.”

“I forgot about that,” Hachi groaned. “Couldn’t you have picked a better time? It’s after midnight. Twelve forty-nine, to be exact.”

“Learning to sleep or wake at any time is an invaluable skill. I promise we will be back in time for your school.” Hachi frowned, having forgotten it was a school day.

“People will see us on the roof, though.”

“We will be going to the park.”

“People will see us there, too,” Hachi said. “I mean, homeless people, but still.”

“It seems you are misunderstanding me, though I must say for a civilian an explanation would only be more confusing,” Hakuko mused. “In any case, Jimon Park is safe, and above all else, it is private.” Hakuko pulled out and slipped on her soul apprehension gauntlet, knocking Hachi’s spirit out of his body with a palm heel strike.

“OH that felt weird,” He said, looking down at his physical body. He was in his soul reaper form again, wearing the uniform and long katana.

“You will get used to it in time,” Hakuko said, turning away. “Now, Mister Hachi, I ask that you only tell Miss Tsutsumishita about the park, and even that only if you two are alone. Taking you there is many different varieties of illegal.”

“Wait, what?” A traditional sliding door appeared in the air, which Hakuko slid open. A bright light poured out of the other side. Hakuko took him by the hand and looked straight into his eyes.

“You are to not let go of my hand under any circumstances until we arrive at the park, understand? This is very important.”

“Uh, yes ma’am,” Hachi gulped. Hakuko nodded, and led him away. The bright light soon turned to darkness, a translucent green path beneath their feet. “Where are we?” He asked, after several long moments of running.

“Nowhere. The Garganta is the space between the worlds, Mister Hachi, stretching out as far between them as they do. It is normally quite an unfortunate place to be lost,” Hakuko said. She glanced back over her shoulder at Hachi and continued, “But that is what happened to me many years ago. I cannot say much, but strewn around the nowhere are small pieces of somewhere. Jimon Park is a small somewhere.”

“Like a private server, huh?”

“...Private, yes.” Hakuko said no more than that, so Hachi had to be content with the sparse and mysterious explanation of the yawning black void they were running through. The Garganta reminded him of his old childhood fear of the dark. Save for the path there was no light, but Hakuko’s surprisingly strong grip was comforting.

Several moments more later, Hachi asked, “Hey. Just wondering, but how do you and Tsuzuko know each other? You guys seem like you would never meet off the job.”

“We did bath salts together in Ibiza.” Hachi stumbled in shock, and Hakuko pulled him along without slowing down. “And aside from that, we… have a shared interest in art.”

“Really? What kind of art?”

“Drumming has been a passion of mine for many years now, and I think of rhythm as its own ancient and natural form of art. I count training as work, so I have little free time, but I spend much of my free time drumming.”

“That’s neat. Ya know, I think Tsuzuko would be into music too. Maybe something old school like that Canadian singer Avril Lavigne, or something weird like Swedish death metal,” Hachi theorized. “I’m kind of a dork, as far as music goes. I mostly just listen to my mom’s old stuff while I’m tinkering with my Minecraft projects.”

“Your mother was a musician?” Hakuko asked over her shoulder.

“Yeah. Wasn’t a global superstar or anything like that, but she did tour for several years, and was fairly well-known. Then she got to be too old for the idol singer scene and she settled down with my dad.”  _ “She signed my copies of her CDs, too,” _ Thought Hachi. Hakuko seemed to be content to run in quiet, so he focused on her hand and the path. After what seemed like forever but was really a relatively short time later, the area around the path began to brighten and a light slowly faded into view; then the gate loomed up without warning, and they passed through the light into someplace new.

“This is Jimon Park,” Hakuko introduced, unexpectedly very aware she had never brought anyone else to it.

Hachi blinked. “The air here is so clean,” He said in wonder. There were small grassy islands hanging low in the intense blue sky, some fixed in place and others slowly circling around, and beneath his feet was a surprise: fluffy, cotton wad clouds. “Um, how are we standing on clouds like this?”

“This is simply how Jimon Park works. You can walk on them just like normal ground.” To demonstrate Hakuko did so, and even hopped around Hachi in a circle. “Come and jump to this island here with me, and we will begin your training.” 

Hachi watched her jump up to the nearby island to their left, wondering how he’d be able to do that. He geared up for his highest jump, thinking he’d smack into the side, but to his surprise he went almost all the way over! He leaned back, waving his arms around, and successfully kept himself on the island. “I meant to do that,” He said, clearing his throat.

Hakuko smiled. “I can see you are still unfamiliar with your form. So, we must start from the very beginning, and work on some Step Method so you become used to moving around. These are the basic drills to practice explosive movement from any point of traction with the ground.” Hachi took very well to the drills: some of the motions were familiar to him from his freerunning and parkour practice, quick taps with the balls of his feet and heel to control momentum. Then the drills morphed into a chase that was light-hearted like a game of tag. Hachi’s speed grew with his confidence, and he began to enjoy himself. Then Hakuko came to a stop as if she had been frozen in place. It was close, but with two quick touches, Hachi was able to angle past her and slide to a stop on the island.

Hachi took a deep breath, and was going to smile until he saw Hakuko didn’t even look slightly winded. “Another round after I catch my breath?” He asked.

“No, Mister Hachi,” Hakuko replied. “While that would be enjoyable, you need to become comfortable with your soul cutter. A beginner such as yourself will have no other meaningful weapons to make use of, so it is critical for you to know how to handle it.”

“Ah, alright.” Hachi once again struggled with drawing his soul cutter, the blade being a large portion of his wingspan.

_ “That won’t do,” _ Hakuko thought. “If your soul cutter is going to be that long, you will need a modified back sheath, or wheels and a long strap so that you can carry it off of your hip,” She said, shaking her head. “But for now, focus on maintaining a proper grip and moving it about every which way.” She demonstrated the grip for him, which he remembered from the battle at his home, and stepped back as he began to swing.

“Whack-a-mole,” Hachi breathed, closing his eyes as he remembered the cutting motions he’d made against the hollows. His mind went further back to the old kendo lessons, a high block and a thrust surfacing.  _ “But this won’t be whack-a-mole forever,” _ Hachi thought.  _ “If this is how Tsuzuko said it is, this is bigger than just me. My family, and everyone else in town and at school, I have to be able to do  _ something _ …” _

Hakuko looked on as Hachi continued to swing his soul cutter. It wasn’t consistent, but she noticed his downward cut was already almost passable.  _ “So far to go. We all have so far to go,” _ She thought. When Hachi’s movements became less confident and he began to glance towards her, Hakuko stopped him. “That will be enough for today.”

“Huh? But we haven’t been here long,” Hachi said.

Hakuko glanced aside. “...Time passes differently here than in Soul Society and the world of the living. I can offset our arrival and departure points with the gate, but I cannot undo the travel time- without using the technical terms, Jimon Park is in the middle of nowhere.”

“Okay. I think I un- wait, offset the arrival and departure points? So you can-”

“Hold my hand and do not let go.” Hakuko interrupted, barely waiting for Hachi to sheath his soul cutter before taking his hand and leading him off.

Hachi looked back at Jimon Park as it faded into white light behind the gate. While unfamiliar, it had felt safe. He knew there wouldn’t be many more moments like it.


	5. Caught In A Web

The door opened, and Tsuzuko knew without looking who had come in.  _ “Finally,” _ She thought.

“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you just how terrible this looks.”

“I knew it was a huge risk going in,” Tsuzuko said to Sui Feng as she came around the bare metal table. “So believe me, you don’t, ma’am. It’s all I’ve been able to think about for the last week.”

“So you’re admitting to it?”

“Yes,” Tsuzuko answered, lifting her chin. “I’d just been brute-forcing my way through the situation for nearly a decade, so when I got the chance to talk with Captain Kurotsuchi, I knew I had to do something. I didn’t want to kill the kid. I’d thought that if somehow there was a way to suppress the energy he was putting off, I’d still be able to do my job without technically killing him or committing a crime. So I asked about that when I had a moment in private with the captain, and of course, the creep already had something that would do the job. He said it would shrink his soul sleep. I’m not a scientist like he is, so I trusted what he gave me would do what he said it would. Turns out that it didn’t,” She said with a shrug.

“Why are you shifting the blame?” Sui Feng asked.

“Excuse me?” Tsuzuko blinked.

“Captain Kurotsuchi is one of the most by-the-books officers we have, perhaps only second to myself. Do you really think he would risk being sent back to the Maggot’s Nest or worse? You’re just looking for an easy out and a scapegoat.”

“Why would I turn myself in if I was just going to blameshift? I may be stupid, but I’m not  _ dumb _ ,” Tsuzuko said. “Something illegal happened, and I just want to make sure you know everyone who’s involved.”

“The  _ intelligent _ thing to do in your situation would have been to file an anonymous report on Captain Kurotsuchi,” Sui Feng said, trying not to smirk. “You still would have been questioned. But the difference would be that the suspicion would lie on him, and not on someone who was buckling under the pressure and looking for a way out.”

“I still have the dagger,” Tsuzuko said after a moment.

“Dagger? So you didn’t use your soul cutter to commit the act?”

“Of course not. The  _ intelligent _ thing would be to do it with a tool that reduced the chance of failure. You know how it’s happened before, and what the success rate is. I didn’t want to risk that.” Sui Feng frowned slightly, and sat down on a stool across from her.

“Let’s suppose this dagger exists. Describe it to me.”

“A pretty simple double-edged tanto that glowed red near the binding chain and green near the soul sleep. After I stabbed him, the chemical on the blade would enter his spirit and gradually shrink the soul sleep. And I think maybe he put a ‘Made in China’ etching on the blade as a joke.”

“And what about the target? Would he really have been worth it?” Sui Feng asked.

“Yes,” Said Tsuzuko. “That’s why I went to my captain: the kid wasn’t just attracting tons of hollows, he had an adjucha stalking him.”

“You’re looking more and more desperate. You should just stop digging yourself deeper into the hole.”

“If it was just another hollow I would deal with it like I have all the others for the last eight and a half years,” Tsuzuko rebutted. “Look, I complain about my posting. Sometimes I even whine a little. But I haven’t quit, and I didn’t intend to by stabbing him.”

“Or maybe you did, and decided to risk a few centuries in the Maggot’s Nest just to get away,” Sui Feng suggested, leaning forwards to rest her elbows on the table. Tsuzuko met her gaze, unblinking.

“You’re a shit interrogator. You don’t know how to talk to someone who isn’t a criminal by choice, do you? Or maybe you think everyone is, and has something they’re hiding.”

“Looks like you  _ are _ stupid, as well as dumb,” Sui Feng said disdainfully. “Flaws and insecurities are infinitely more useful than civility in a  _ criminal _ investigation, T Five.” Tsuzuko had to fight hard to keep her composure at hearing her most common and least favorite nickname, and her ears and cheeks burned with anger. “Now, let’s continue on with your version of events. You say there was an adjucha involved? How could it have escaped notice?”

“It recently evolved,” Tsuzuko explained. “I don’t know what it's plans are other than to eat the kid and continue evolving. It may have been watching longer, or just randomly come by the town.”

“Did you try being civil and just talking to it?” Asked Sui Feng.

_ “Stay calm, stay cool, Tsuzuko,” _ She thought, taking a deep breath. “I heard it say something about ambition, and other hollows being scared of  _ my _ post. I lost my first patrol partner by trying to talk with a hollow, ma’am, so you’ll have to forgive me for not paying attention to everything one says to me.”

“What was their name?”

“Homare Taniguchi.”

“And how did you escape the adjucha?”

“I didn’t. It got bored toying with me and left.”

“Leaving its prize behind unattended?” Sui Feng questioned.

“Of course not. It messed around with me to distract me while the Garganta opened and the swarm came in, and it left through it.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you survived that after an encounter with an adjucha.”

“Damn straight you are. I’ve kept my post for a reason.”

“If you say so,” Said Sui Feng, her face impressively neutral. “Now who else have you told? You’re too vain and impulsive to have kept it to yourself.”

The remark stung, though Tsuzuko knew it was true. “I told the kid that my career was basically over before I left, once I took care of the swarm. I haven’t talked with anyone else besides Captain Kurotsuchi about the dagger.”

Sui Feng leaned back and stared at Tsuzuko. Her operatives had already searched her apartment and found the dagger, and preliminary character profiling had also confirmed her statements about both whining and perseverance. It was beginning to look like she would have to take Tsuzuko’s statements seriously, which meant even more paperwork, and the hassle of trying to get in contact with Kurotsuchi. “How were the drugs?”

“...I think I’ll just stick to alcohol.”

“Wimp.”

“Excuse me?”

“We’ll be in contact with you later after the investigation proceeds,” Sui Feng said, ignoring Tsuzuko. She looked towards the one-way glass and raised her hand, snapping her fingers and pointing at Tsuzuko. “The ancient laws are laws for a reason,” She said, as masked members of the Stealth Force removed the bolt that kept Tsuzuko’s handcuffs in place on the table and led her out. “Don’t expect to get away with this.”


	6. Your Problem, My Emergency

“You weren’t on the server Monday night.”

“Hm? Oh, sorry, Tetsuo,” Hachi said, snapping out of his daydream. “I was busy that night.”  _ “And by busy, I mean in another dimension with a ghost. What even is my life anymore…” _ He thought. “How much of the build did you guys get done without me?”

“Not a whole lot, since you’re the one with all the blueprints and custom resource packs,” Tetsuo said dryly. “But we did finish up the temple exterior on the big mountain.”

“Sweet!” Hachi said just a little too loud. A few of his classmates turned to look at him, annoyed. “Ahem. I mean, that’s great,” He added. His friend smirked proudly, pushing up his thick glasses. There were sounds outside the classroom door, fragments of a muffled conversation. Moments later Hachi’s homeroom teacher Mister Oba walked in with an unfamiliar boy: he was thin, and had straight cut blond hair and a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Class,” Mister Oba began, raising his voice, “I’d like to introduce you to Shinji Hirako. He’s from out of town and has been sick for a long time, so please take it easy on him and show him around, okay?”

“Yes, Mister Oba,” The class droned tiredly. Mister Oba sighed, and directed Shinji to the empty seat on Tetsuo’s right, two over from Hachi. Shinji waved, and Hachi waved back.

_ “Eh, at least he seems friendly,” _ Thought Hachi. He kept feeling Shinji’s gaze on him throughout home period, but when he glanced over, the boy was never looking.  _ “What’s his deal? This is getting annoying.” _

When home period was over, the class filed out into the hallway. Hachi tried to discreetly get a glance of his classmate Tomoshi. He could only catch a fleeting look of the strap of her book bag before he was out of the door. He fist bumped Tetsuo(who had History next period instead of English) and turned down the hallway, finding Shinji walking beside him. “Headed to English next?” He asked.

“Yeah. Mind if I tag along? This place is too big to remember a map I only just saw this morning,” Answered Shinji.

Hachi shrugged.  _ “Guess I’ll introduce myself, too,” _ He thought. “Sure. And I’m Hachi Okajima, by the way.”

“Oh, so you’re Hachi. I heard about you on the way to class.”

“Well, I’ve been the ‘Minecraft Guy’ since middle school,” Hachi said with a frown. “That kind of thing sticks out in a town that’s basically an overgrown high school.”

“Overgrown high school? I thought this was a big city.”

“Dang. You must be from somewhere even smaller out in the boonies,” Hachi said, looking sideways at Shinji. “To be fair, our school is one of the biggest in the district. But all these big businesses come to town with a lot of hype and promises, and then they don’t deliver or are packing up a year or two later. I’m hoping to get a scholarship and study architecture over in Tokyo once I’m out of high school.”  _ “At least, that’s what I’d hoped to be doing,” _ Hachi thought glumly.  _ “Who knows what’s going to happen now with the creeper problem.” _

“Tokyo? But this place seems just fine,” Shinji asked “Aren’t there architects all over big cities?”

“There are, because towns this size don’t have any opportunities for the kinds of things architects go to Tokyo for.”

“Eh, just be a big fish and forget about the size of the pond,” Shinji commented with a wave of his hand.

For the first few classes, Hachi was willing to call it a coincidence that Shinji was in all of his, but after lunch when they had trig together he began to be suspicious. He snuck a glance at the boy, who was sitting across the room next to Tomoshi. He appeared blissfully unaware, lazily scribbling on his worksheet something that almost certainly wasn’t the solution to the problem.  _ “I dunno, something just seems a little off about him,” _ Thought Hachi. And when they met again in Economics, he decided to call him out on it. “Are you following me?” Hachi asked Shinji as they walked into the classroom.

“Following you? What do you think I am, some kind of stalker?” Shinji replied, feigning hurt.

“...I’ve dealt with a couple stalkers recently. It’s made me just a little paranoid.”

“Ha! And I thought you said Minecraft wasn’t attractive.” Hachi was unamused by the joke, and sat down at a desk. “Say, are you free after school?”

“I’m going rock climbing,” Hachi said immediately, having just decided that on the spot. “It’s been a while since I’ve gone out to Mount Moyayama.”

“Aw shucks. I was hoping someone would be able to show me around town, since I’m still new here,” Shinji said. 


End file.
